ZAMBOANGA CITY: The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) has welcomed the action of the Tawi-Tawi provincial government that declared the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits persona non grata in the province.
Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., Westmincom chief, said the persona non grata declaration, which is through a unified resolution, is a good development in the campaign to sustain the peace and order in the province of Tawi-Tawi.
“We fully support the unified declaration made by our fellow peace advocates. We assure you that our anti-terrorism and anti-criminality campaigns are bolstered in cooperation with the local government units, and our partners and stakeholders in the area,” Vinluan added.
The declaration was made through a resolution adopted during the first quarter joint meeting before the weekend of the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).
The joint meeting echoed the same sentiments raised during the 1st Quarter Joint Provincial Health Board and Provincial School Board Meeting held at the Henry Kong Hall of Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO) in Barangay Sanga-Sanga, Bongao.
The resolution said the Abu Sayyaf and all lawless armed groups have no place in the 11 municipalities of Tawi-Tawi.
The joint meeting was presided by Governor Yshmael Sali and was participated in by the local chief executives of Tawi-Tawi; Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi and 2nd Marine Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas; Tawi-Tawi Provincial Police Office deputy director Maj. Abrurakib Ahmad; and representatives from all concerned agencies.
Participating agencies presented their quarterly reports during the meeting, most notable of which were the accomplishments of the different agencies such as the dismantling of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) camps, the neutralisation of Abu Sayyaf leader Majan Sahidjuan alias Apo Mike, the observance of health protocols, and the proper implementation of municipal ordinances.
Sali said the meeting aimed to maintain the peace in the province of Tawi- Tawi and to assess how far the province has gone in its effort.
The governor said the unified resolution of support aims to condemn the terror activities of lawless groups in all areas of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the guise of their false ideologies.
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